Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen

Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address

The Words Before All Else

Greetings to the Natural World

The People

Today we have gathered and we see that the cycles of life continue. We have been given the duty to live in balance and harmony with each other and all living things. So now, we bring our minds together as one as we give greetings and thanks to one another as people.

Now our minds are one.

The Earth Mother

We are all thankful to our Mother, the Earth, for she gives us all that we need for life. She supports our feet as we walk about upon her. We must every day honour her as she continues to care for us as she has from the beginning of time. To our mother, we send greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Waters

We give thanks to all the waters of the world for quenching our thirst and providing us with strength. Water is life. We know its power in many forms‐ waterfalls and rain, mists and streams, rivers,oceans and even within our own bodies. We must also not forget our tears. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the spirit of Water.

Now our minds are one.

The Fish

We turn our minds to the all the Fish life in the water. They were instructed to cleanse and purify the water. They are trying to do the best job they can. They also give themselves to us as food. We are grateful that we can still find pure water. So, we turn now to the Fish and send our greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Plants

Now we turn toward the vast fields of Plant life. As far as the eye can see, the Plants grow, working many wonders. They sustain many life forms. They continue to thrive and fulfil their duties. With our minds gathered together, we give thanks and look forward to seeing Plant life for many generations to come.

Now our minds are one.

The Food Plants

With one mind, we turn to honuor and thank all the Food Plants we harvest from the garden, our life sustainers.  Since the beginning of time, the grains, vegetables, beans and berries have helped the people survive. Many other living things draw strength from them too. We gather all the Plant Foods together as one and send them a greeting of thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Medicine Herbs

Now we turn to all the Medicine herbs of the world. From the beginning they were instructed to help with sickness. They are always waiting and ready to heal us. We are happy there are still among us those special few who remember how to use these plants for healing. We take only what we need and ensure they continue to grow. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to the Medicines and to the keepers of the Medicines.

Now our minds are one.

The Insects

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the insects, the crawlers, the flyers, big and small, seen and unseen. They continue busily about fulfilling their duties. We see them and may be startled but we are glad that they are still here and will remain. 

Now our minds are one

The Animals

We gather our minds together to send greetings and thanks to all the Animal life in the world. They have many things to teach us as people. We are honoured by them when they give up their lives so we may use their bodies as food for our people. We see them near our homes and wild and free in the fields and forests. We are glad they are still here and we hope that it will always be so.

Now our minds are one

The Trees

We now turn our thoughts to the Trees. The Earth is bountiful with many different Trees who have their own instructions and uses. Some provide us with shelter and shade, others with fruit, sap and beauty. They are quite useful and the Maple is the leader of the trees. There is the tree of life, the tree is a symbol of peace and strength. With one mind, we greet and thank the Tree life.

Now our minds are one.

The Birds

We put our minds together as one and thank all the Birds who move and fly about over our heads. The Creator gave them beautiful songs. Each day they remind us to enjoy and appreciate life. The Eagle sits atop of the Tree of Peace and was chosen to be the guardian. To all the Birds‐from the tiniest to the largest, we send joyful greetings and thanks.

Now our minds are one.

The Four Winds

We are all thankful to the powers we know as the Four Winds. We hear their voices in the moving air as they refresh us and purify the air we breathe. They help us to bring the change of seasons. From the four directions they come, bringing us messages and giving us strength. With one mind, we send our greetings and thanks to the Four Winds.

Now our minds are one.

The Thunders

Now we turn to the west where our grandfathers, the Thunder Beings, live. With lightning and thundering voices, they bring with them the water that renews life. The lightning strikes the ground and renews the earth. The roaring thunders keeps the giant beings underground. We bring our minds together as one to send greetings and thanks to our Grandfathers, the Thunders.

Now our minds are one.

The Sun

We now send greetings and thanks to our eldest Brother, the Sun. Each day without fail he travels the sky from east to west, bringing the light of a new day. He is the source of all the fires of life. He lights the earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Brother, the Sun.

Now our minds are one.

Grandmother Moon

We put our minds together to give thanks to our oldest Grandmother, the Moon, who lights the night‐time sky. She is the leader of woman, and she also directs the movement of the ocean tides. By her changing face we measure time. It is our beautiful Grandmother Moon who watches over the arrival of children here on Earth. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to our Grandmother, the Moon.

Now our minds are one.

The Stars

We give thanks to the Stars who are spread across the sky like jewelry. We see them in the night, helping the Moon to light the darkness. They bring the morning dew to the gardens which also help things to grow. When we travel at night, they guide us home. With our minds gathered together as one, we send greetings and thanks to the Stars.

Now our minds are one.

The 4 Enlightened Protectors

We gather our minds to greet and thank the enlightened protectors who have come to help throughout the ages. When we forget how to live in harmony, they remind us of the way we were instructed to live as people. They also help us through trying times and shield us. With one mind, we send greetings and thanks to these caring beings.

Now our minds are one.

The Creator

Now we turn our thoughts to the Creator, Great Mystery the one who made us, and send greetings and thanks for all the gifts of Creation. Everything we need to live a good life is here on this Mother Earth. For all the love that is still around us, we gather our minds together as one and send our most beautiful words of thankfulness to the Creator.

Now our minds are one.

Closing Words

We have now arrived at the place where we end our words. Of all the things we have named, it was not our intention to leave anything out. If something was forgotten, we leave it to each individual to send such greetings and thanks in their own way.

Now our minds are one.

My story:

Pull up a chair version:

Life Sustainers is a holistic health nutrition store located in the Haudenosaunee territory of the Six Nations of the Grand River, aka ~ Ohsweken.  This became a dream of mine as my path took me on a career change when I embarked on my own holistic health journey.

My life's journey has not been picture perfect. I have actually had many bumps, turns, valleys, mountains to climb and have veered off the beaten path many times.

Career wise, I started out in Social Work, so you see, I have always had a passion to help others, and in so doing, helped myself along the way to opening a natural health and nutrition store.

When my own personal life journey endured hardships, I fell into a funk about myself and so begun my ravenous unhealthy eating. Round and round I went, the more I ate, the more funk feelings I had about myself.  I became comfortably numb in junk food, yet still uncomfortable in life, feeling a failure in so many ways, having not yet found holistic healing.  It was not until I became immensely uncomfortable in the heaviness and the achiness of my body, that I new I needed to make a change. I doubted myself, my abilities, and even if I could make a change, I had such a love affair with food, I wondered how I could end this food frenzy affair. FAST FORWARD 

My passion for more knowledge about holistically healing also intersected a time when my mother's health was declining.  Other family members were also struggling with other issues that I thought could be better managed with holistic alternatives and a better nutritional status.

After caring for my mother a year in her own home, with many sleepless nights, my own health was becoming more of an issue.  I was chronically tired, had Pneumonia a couple of times. I also had an old knee injury that was requiring attention.  My partner had ended our relationship and this had a tremendous impact on me emotionally and spiritually. 

Though I tried to take these life events all in stride, it was still stressful. I was exhausted yet still needed to function as a sole support parent and also as a daughter of aging parents while continuing a new career path.  My father, though pretty active also has health challenges - Diabetes, Osteoarthritis and Chronic Pain.

In trying to address my health concerns, whilst I had enrolled in the Holistic Nutrition program, an earlier diagnosis of Fatty Liver resurfaced for me.

I was told that I had fatty deposits on my liver 15 years prior and that I should reduce my fat intake and watch my weight (mainstream medical advice).  That is when I started my gluten and sugar-reduction journey. Yes that many years ago, so I was only about 40 years old and already had some liver enzyme elevation and the fat deposits on my liver. I can't really say that I made the change right away but eventually I lost 40lbs. I did manage to keep it off, but my weight still fluctuated within a few pounds.  Prior to that, I was on a slow, but increasingly steady weight gain.  I was very uncomfortable in the heaviness of my body.  I believe that if I didn’t make a change then, I would have easily been carrying an extra 100 pounds or more by now, plus having seriously compromised health. 

The early changes made likely did help my health status, but a confirmed diagnosis with an Ultrasound and MRI said I still had fatty liver. Other symptoms, sparked my family doctor at the time to request further tests for the same disease my mother had, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis.  Fatty Liver can become Non-Alcohol Fatty Liver Disease, which can also turn to Cirrhosis of the Liver. I believe another motivating factor was also seeing my Mother's health decline so slowly, but ever so drastically, from the very active whirlwind traveller, master of many trades, to total dependence on someone else and eventual 24/7 care in a long term facility. After caring for my mother for over a year at home, unfortunately her care was to great to continue the in-home care.

I WOULD LOVE FOR MY OWN HEALTH TO REMAIN VITAL AND VIBRANT, TO SEE MY GRANDCHILDREN GROW UP AND STILL BE ACTIVE WITH THEM. Also KNOWING THE STRESS OF CARING FOR AN incapacitated family member, I Do NOT WANT TO BECOME DEPENDANT ON OTHERS FOR MY CARE. I AM A FIERY IMPASSIONED WOMAN AND CREATOR WILLING, I WANT TO LIVE WELL IN MY NEXT 50 YEARS, SO I HAVE TO ALSO DO MY PART!

Being in the Holistic Nutrition program, was exactly where I needed to be as I learned there were many things that I could do to care for my liver. Our liver is a major detoxifier organ in our body and a healthy liver is needed for over 200+ functions in our body.  This new passion has helped my liver and my health overall.

The Haudenosaunee lifestyle was greatly impacted by colonialism. When previously employed at the Six Nations Birthing Centre, I sought out wisdom about pre-contact traditional food practices.  Knowing that we were once a very healthy strong people, I thought we must have known what to eat to sustain our health.  That knowledge is right there in our Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen, (Thanksgiving address).  It acknowledges and gives thanks to all that helps sustain our life. We are told that the Creator provided everything we needed here on Earth to sustain us.   

Now that I have graduated as a Certified Nutritional Practitioner along with all my other previous teachings, I want to share the knowledge that has enlightened me. The “Life Sustainers” dream is being born.

In my recovery, I was greatly aware that natural health products and quality supplements were costly and being a sole support parent, it was not always affordable. However I was also painfully aware that if I didn't invest in my health, I was not going to attain the healthy vibrancy, I envisioned for myself and my children. Others, no doubt are in the same canoe! This is also what fuelled the dream, "Why have to run to town to buy these products when they could be available right on the rez, no taxes, save money!"

When I made the decision to leave work to care for my mother in 2011, I still needed to survive financially, I cashed in a good portion of the modest Social Work pension monies that I had accumulated. What remained is what I used to start the Life Sustainers dream. I purchased second hand shelving to get the dream off the ground.  I purchased products and converted a living space into a store. I quickly learned that a few thousand dollars does not buy much, so thank goodness for Peter and Paul - I had good credit! I have learned some pretty expensive mistakes but a dream envisioned it going to be realized.

A huge part of me wishes I had embarked on this holistic healing journey long ago, when my children were young so they could benefit. However, my journey was what it was. It eventually plunked me into my passion, my very own nutrition store allowing me to assist people to live healthy and naturally.

Part of my long term vision is to do well enough to be able to make financial contributions to language revitalization and the community's environment protection endeavours.